The NASCAR 2019 Daytona 500 will be held Sunday, February 17, 2019 (2/17/19) at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. William Byron, 21, and teammate Alex Bowman, 25, will start in the front row for The Great American Race. They comprise the youngest front row in Daytona 500 history.
UPDATE: Denny Hamlin, benefiting from a multi-car crash with 1.5 laps remaining, captured the wreck-marred Daytona 500 on Sunday.
Hamlin, who won his second Daytona 500, dedicated the victory to J.D. Gibbs, a founder of his racing team, who passed away last month with a neurological disease.
“I’ll have a terrible hangover tomorrow, but I’ll enjoy it for the rest of my life,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin was one of the survivors from an earlier 21-car crash triggered by Paul Menard shortly after a restart with 10 laps to go in “The Great American Race.”
An incredible look at that massive wreck. pic.twitter.com/JAleUEIwrd
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 17, 2019
Menard turned Matt DiBenedetto, who slammed into the wall and started a chain-reaction that collected more than two dozen cars. It brought out a red flag that stopped the race for a lengthy cleanup.
“I’ll take the blame for that one,” Menard said.
Defending Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Aric Almirola and Daniel Suarez were among those involved in the mess.
Almirola seemingly had the wildest ride, his back wheels getting lifted off the pavement and landing on David Ragan’s windshield.
The NASCAR 2019 Daytona 500 will be held Sunday, February 17, 2019 (2/17/19) at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
William Byron, 21, and Hendricks Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman, 25, will start in the front row for The Great American Race. They comprise the youngest front row in Daytona 500 history.
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Here’s what you need to know about the race:
What: Daytona 500
When: Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019
Where: Daytona International Speedway
Time: 2:30 p.m. Eastern
TV: Fox
Livestream: fuboTV (free trial), Fox Sports Go
Channel finder: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish
The coveted starting spot hasn’t meant much for NASCAR’s season opener over the last two decades, though. The last Daytona 500 pole-sitter to win the race was Dale Jarrett in 2000.
The last four — Hendrick’s Jeff Gordon, Chase Elliott (twice) and Bowman — have failed to notch a top-10 finish.
“To have them on top of each other means the organization did a heck of a job,” Hendrick said. “This is the deal to sit on the pole at Daytona.”
Byron and Bowman edged the other two Hendrick drivers: seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and fan favorite Chase Elliott.
“That’s a pretty amazing feat, I feel,” said longtime Hendrick crew chief Chad Knaus, who is entering his first season with Byron after 18 years with Johnson.
(The AP contributed to this report.)